How to cut opal – see a gem emerge from a rough opal

How to cut opal: cutting challenge #3. A customer recently bought a rough piece of opal and was unsure how it should be cut.

He decided to send it back…

Normally we would re-list the stone.Justin decides to take on the opal cutting challenge that he has been presented with.

The video is a long one at 21 minutes but you will see the whole process as well as tips and advice on the following:

Assessing rough opal for colour.

How to decide which way an opal should be cut.

How the dome is formed on an opal.

What grades of diamond wheels are used when.

How to achieve that final perfect polish.

For those not keen on cutting opal themselves you will still find the video fascinating as a gemstone is revealed layer by layer – and you will be well on your way to understanding how to cut opal at a pretty expert level!

All our opal is exclusively from the opal mines of Lightning Ridge Australia.
100 percent natural and ethically sourced, we make it easy for you to buy the worlds best black opal in the rough or as a polished gem.
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